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Call & Check set for UK Launch

Posted • 18 October 2018

Call & Check, a service devised by Jersey Post to help vulnerable people to live independently in their own homes for longer, is to be rolled out in the UK later this year. The Call & Check service was originally developed by Jersey Post employee Joe Dickinson and was successfully trialled for four years across several island parishes, winning several major awards, before being included as part of the States of Jersey long-term care strategy in 2018. The service enables postal workers to check on the wellbeing of members of the public whilst on their usual postal rounds, and to connect with supportive services within their community. Its overarching objective is to help people to stay in their own home for longer, surrounded by their family and friends, which has been proven to have considerable mental and physical benefits for the individuals concerned.

Later this year and into 2019, the UK Home Office will trial ‘Safe and Connected’ which is a digital solution that supports vulnerable, lonely older people who live in the community. This scheme is based on the successful Jersey-based project ‘Call and Check’. Tim Brown, Jersey Post Chief Executive said, “Since the first trials of Call & Check began in Jersey, Call & Check has garnered global recognition, awards and interest, but to have the service adapted for use by another local authority is perhaps the best award of all – true recognition that this service holds great value for individuals and communities worldwide. We are delighted to be working with UK authorities to progress their plans for long-term care and look forward to seeing the trials go live later this year.”

Working in conjunction with Royal Mail, private enterprise, local authorities and the local voluntary sector, the ‘Safe and Connected’ scheme will utilise the Jersey Post model of postal workers on their delivery rounds to call on lonely older people who sign up to participate in the scheme. The postal worker will then ask a standard set of questions to assess individual requirements with responses captured via their handheld work devices, which are then fed back to the relevant local authority or voluntary sector organisation.

Like Call & Check, the aim of the UK scheme is to reduce the risk of loneliness and address other needs and issues as they arise. The UK trial will take place in Liverpool, Whitby, and Kingston-upon-Thames in 2018/19.